Progress Report - Health in Africa 111507 | Data.org

Progress Report: Health in Africa

11.15.07

Fast Facts

The number of Africans with access to life-saving antiretroviral treatment has increased dramatically in just four years - from 50,000 people receiving treatment in 2002 (1% of those in need) to 1.34 million in 2006 (28% of those in need).
The Global Fund has distributed 46 million bed nets to protect families from malaria.
Since 2000, maternal mortality rates have decreased in 33 of 44 African countries reporting data.
Mozambique used its debt service savings to vaccinate half a million children against tetanus, whooping cough and diphtheria.
Botswana has reduced its mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) rates of HIV to less than 4% - comparable to rates in Europe and the United States.

Rwanda - Mobile Phones Overcome Infrastructure Challenges

Across Africa, innovative technology is being harnessed by the health community to overcome challenges to service delivery and data collection. In Rwanda, funding from the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) enabled the implementation of TRACnet, a web-based system that collects and disseminates ART program reporting, drug shortages and CD-4 tests. Over 85% of TRACnet users input data via mobile phone. TRACnet has been deployed in 50 out of 53 health
facilities offering antiretroviral treatment in Rwanda, accounting for 95% of all patients on treatment. TRACnet is currently being replicated in ten African countries through the Phones for Health program, a $10 million public-private partnership including PEPFAR, African health ministries, GSM Association Development Fund, Accenture Development Partners, Motorola, MTN and Voxiva.

Kenya - Bed Nets Reduce Child Deaths from Malaria

In Kenya, bed nets have reduced deaths from malaria for young children by 44% in the country’s most endemic regions. With grants from the Global Fund and other bilateral donors, the Kenyan government distributed 3.4 million free bed nets, achieving a tenfold increase in the number of children sleeping under bed nets. The success in Kenya led the World Health Organization to issue a new global guidance on nets, recommending the distribution of longlasting nets to all community members free of charge or at highly subsidized prices.

Malawi - ARV Rollout Leads to Decline in Mortality in Targeted Communities

The number of people on life-saving antiretrovirals in Malawi increased from 500 in 2002 to 70,000 by September 2006. Thanks to an innovative public-private partnership, this scale-up of treatment is reducing mortality among the working population. The Malawi Business Coalition channels resources to businesses, enabling them to provide their employees, their employees’ dependents and surrounding communities with treatment and prevention services. These efforts have led to a 44% decline in mortality in targeted workplaces such as ESCOM (Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi), a utility company with one of Malawi’s largest employee bases. The MCBA offers these services to over 30 companies and operates 28 clinics throughout Malawi.

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